CATDOLL: "Gakuen Lonely Island" female voice actress Takahashi Rie accepts media interview

Although the speed of female voice actors in Japanese animation is staggering, it is hard to imagine that a newcomer can play a leading role in more than one work in a period. There is indeed such a person in the new series in July, that is Takahashi Rie, who played Ichinose Futaba in "That's the Voice Actor!", Kobayashi in "Ranpo Kitan" and Naoki Miki in "Gakuen Alive Island". Recently, a media interviewed her.

Q: Thank you for your hard work in today's filming! Ms. Takahashi's outfit looks great on you!

A: Thank you! I usually wear T-shirts or collared clothes, but today I wanted to look cute, so I re-mixed everything. I also made my hair fluffy to match the clothes, and my ears are usually exposed, but today they are not.

Q: Ms. Takahashi played the main roles in 3 new works in July this year! First, let’s talk about Ichinose Futaba from "That’s the Voice Actor!" What kind of girl is she?

A: Since we are both new voice actors, this character is similar to me, so it was easy for me to fit in! And I was thinking "Futaba is this kind of girl" while shaping the character, and the voice I made was almost the same as mine (laughs)! It's just me! So I was also surprised (laughs).

Q: They are indeed very similar. I would say they are energetic or lively.

A: At first, I didn't think Futaba was a very spirited girl. Because she is usually very serious and always works hard. Maybe she looks more lively when she is working hard. Of course, this cheerfulness that comes from being serious is also common to me. Of course, it's a bit shameless to say that I am "serious" (laughs). And being too serious is also a shortcoming.

Q: Futaba's character setting is "not good at promoting herself, and can't figure out what her personality is." Do you think this is similar to you, Ms. Takahashi?

A: Well, I think they are similar in this respect (laughs)! People who worked at the same agency as me participated in a radio program called "ニッポン朗読アカデミー". There were lively girls and soft-looking girls. So among these people, what kind of personality do I have? This question also troubled me for a while. Now I should say that I am "serious" (laughs). It was also a problem that I discovered after meeting Futaba.

Q: Next, you played the role of "Mi-kun", a member of the school life club who lives in the school, in "Gakuen Lonely Island". So please introduce the highlights of the work!

A: The anime contains a different plot line from the original, so I think fans of the original should also be able to enjoy it. I hope everyone can watch the anime while reading the comics!

Q: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Edogawa Ranpo's death, a work called "Ranpo Kitan" is currently being broadcast. The plot of this animation is also worth looking forward to! And the character of Kobayashi should be the one who guides the story.

A: I am looking forward to seeing how everyone will accept my role as Xiaolin. Xiaolin often speaks lines that involve solving puzzles, and he never hides his words. So when I was dubbing, I also paid attention to this aspect.

Q: So, Ms. Takahashi has been quite active this summer!

A: Yes, I was shocked (laughs). Although everyone said so, I was the one who was most at a loss (laughs). I will never forget the experience I gained so far, and I will take each role seriously and perform with my heart!

Q: By the way, what was the opportunity that made you decide to become a voice actor?

A: When I was in junior high school, I saw female voice actors dubbing boys in anime, and I thought I wanted to do the same thing. That was the opportunity.

Q: What kind of animation did you watch as a child?

A: When I was a kid, I always watched "Ojamajo Doremi"! After junior high school, I became obsessed with "Higurashi When They Cry" and "Soul Eater", which was the reason why I realized the profession of voice actor.

Q: So, what was the opportunity that led you to debut as a voice actor?

A: I auditioned for 81produce during the summer vacation of my senior year in high school and entered the training center. During the one-year course, I received a lot of care from the agency, and my first voice actor debut role was "Girl C"! And the line was just "Our family is also traveling as a whole family."

Q: So what was your first job?

A: I was the voiceover announcer for the 81produce special. It was my first time dubbing in my life, and I practiced seriously looking at the manuscript filled with phone numbers.

Q: Please tell us about your private life! What do you like to eat?

A: Just recently, I found myself really liking takoyaki! I'm fine with eating takoyaki three times a day. From frozen foods to the real thing from Osaka, as long as it's takoyaki, I want to try any variety (laughs).

Q: Do you have any favorite way to relieve stress?

A: I've been into using shadowless tape lately, and even made a keychain in the style of "That's the Voice Actor!" I have pretty good hands.

Q: So, how do you spend your time during your rest time?

A: Well, even when I'm resting, I mostly practice pronunciation at home. Also, I'll correct some lines that I didn't say well, and practice to improve my physical strength for the concert, and then I go to the nail salon. I also do what is necessary to hone myself. Of course, the basic requirement is to get enough sleep! As long as I sleep, I won't open my eyes and sleep as hard as I can (laughs).

Q: Among the voice actors, which ones do you have a better relationship with?

A: I often stay over at the homes of Ms. Ueda Reina and Ms. Aizaka Yuka! I also meet up with the members of LINKs (Aizaka Yuka, Ishihara Mai, Ikuta Yoshiko, Yamamoto Nozomi) and Iyahons (Takano Marika, Nagakuni Tomoki) who are also participating in group activities. And after the performance, we all go out for dinner together!

Q: Could you please talk about your future prospects as a voice actor?

A: I hope that everyone can discover the charm of the character that only I can bring out! It would be great if my acting can make everyone happy and surprised.

Q: Finally, please say a few words to our readers!

A: I am a new voice actor, Rie Takahashi! I will perform attentively and seriously to show the charm of each character I play. No matter which role, I will regard her as a person with a complete life and enjoy the fun she brings. I will be very happy if everyone can support my work. Please give me more advice!

Q: Thank you for accepting our interview today!